The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-10-27

these dire problems to theologians-ane
rest content yourself to be good ant
happy"
The words were uttered with deep feel
ing, almost impassioned tenderness, an,
neither knew how it was. She ha,
slipped from her chair to the side of hi
own and was kneeling there--kneeling t
him as she had done many and many
time years ago in the confessional Th'
fair head, with its coronet of golden hair
was uplifted to his, the sweet lips were OF
level with his rough hand. ALI shrink
ing, all terror, all hesitancy had left he
now. The supreme moment was come
she felt entirely mistress of herself, able
to utter the inmost thought o. her heart
"You bid me be good and happy" she
said. "There is only one way. May
tell you what that way isr May I con
fess to you, as in the old dayss"
He smiled then, sheltering, encourag
ing smile, much as if she were scms be.
witching child fleeing to him from Chi
merical terrors. To his thinking, she wa.
still the sunny, sparkling, frolicsome
Georgette of old, no soulness Georgette
certainly, but wording from the
cradle, the spoiled darling of noble
house, the heiress of one of the handsom.
est fortunes in France, rebuked by him,
punished by him in the confessional, for
childish shortcomings in matter of relig-
ious duty, years ago. That smile, sad al.
though it was, wonderfully irradiated
his dark physiognomy. 1t brought back
to Georgette's mind his former self He
seemed to her what he had ever been.
She knew not indeed of the change, out
ward as we'll as spiritual, that had come
over him during these intervening years.
For the caustic yet benignant abbe, the
consummate man of the world, the fiery
disputant, the mighty orator, all these be-
longed to bygone time. Pastor Anville's
friends and small congregation we're only
familiar with an over conscientious, labo-
rious and learned minister of the gospel.
His real, his best self, was perforce con-
cealed from the simple townsfolk. And
only here and there was the fact realized
that the Protestant pastor of St. Anatole
had formerly preached to crowded audi
ences in one of the great churches in
Paris, had seeded, in fact, from Rome to
Luther
"By all means unburden yourself 1
shall indeed be glad to serve you," he
said, growing more genial, yielding in
spite Of himself to the witchery Of her
presence. Thus encouraged, still kneeing
beside him, her hands clasped on the arm
of his chair, her upraised face sweet. and
innocent as that Of 6ve-year-old maiden,
she began her story.
"Yon thought without doubt, that it
was careless girl you had to deal with
in days gone by. l seemed mere play
thing to you. Very likely you even be-
grudged the time spent upon me in the
confessional, and, but for my position,
S,1. would nave delegated dc It. the charge TO an
belied myself, as many women tH, ts9Gied: ped. l
on the self that pleases the world. Twas,
from the first, impressionable, sincere, ca
pable of better things"
He was still as far as ever from divin-
ing her errand. But he found it sweet to
listen to her, to be able to gaze on her, and
feel in a certain subtle, impersonal sense
that she belonged to him as of old. He
could still chide, caress, encourage
"That better self felt conscious Of;
how could assert it? she cried, grow
ing more and more eloquent on her own
behalf 81 was compelled to live in the
world. whether would or no. From my
cradle upward l was trained to play
part. And you, too, even you, my spirit
ual guide, my monitor, you did not seek
to arouse deeper feelings. l should have
listened to you in the confessional had
your heart spoken"
The rebuke was crushing one, and he
flinched under it; a word of apology and
expostulation rose to his lips, but he re-
served it till she should have done. She
anticipated him.
IL could understand your motive"
she went on; "your duty was not to
make a woman think for herself, or seek to
be happy after her own way. Brilliant
A YOU we're, experienced as you were,
you vet lowered yourself of set purpose
in your dealings with my sex. As a
priest. as a theologian, you could hardly
act otherwise But read your charac-
ter. although you never read NINE"
Again he finched. Her words had
struck home.
~ saw through the VEIL" she contin-
ued you played with women's intel
lects as with toys; themselves you did
not despise. But for your calling, your
vows, l could have played with you in
turn"
"Does the priest cease to be human
being ?" he asked, bitter almost to vim
dictiyeness. "Oh, have done the stings
Of conscience have borne, and can bear
your reproaches unman me utterly"
She touched his arm with a soothing
gesture, and made him meet her look OF
lender pity and insinuation. at is not
yourself reproach," she said, very gently
Remember that should have made
the long journey hither for such pur'
pose? But hear me out"
She paused for moment, as II to
Gather fresh courage and self reliance.
then went on in quicker, moro fervid
tones.
ence that happened to you during q me,
morable storm in Paris, just ten years ago.
A hurricane 80 fearful ragged over the city
that it was dangerous to be abroad tns
r.;n flowed in rivers through the streets
nsnv neople were injured by falling tiles
and nd the lightning flashes seemed As i
sverv moment they would fire the place
Vonr vast church was empty, but yor
were at your post, when . woman dressst
~ T ThI.ct and closely yelled stole up to tn
Confessional =, and knelt TO you"
0'I Again q light as of sudden conviction
.eamsd to break upon bis mind, but th'
time Of no impersonal nature it was
conviction that had to do with him .